Purpose

Eastern District proposes to evaluate water quality conditions within the Duck-Apple-Ashwaubenon Creek watersheds and the West Branch of Plum Creek sub-watershed in accordance with the 319 Evaluation monitoring project guidance. All of these watersheds are contained within Brown and Outagamie Counties. In 1996 a Priority Watershed plan was approved for non-point source control in the Duck, Apple, and Ashwaubenon Creek watersheds. As part of the D-A-A project, 26 habitat and water quality sites were evaluated to document current conditions and help develop objectives for reducing non-point source impacts within the watersheds. In 2014, the Plum and Kankapot Creek watershed had an approved 9KE plan developed to control non-point source impacts in the watershed. Water Quality data collection for this effort was limited to USGS gauging stations within the Plum Creek watershed and other water chemistry data collected by UW-GB. In 2011, a GLRI grant was awarded to Outagamie County to address buffers within the Plum Creek watershed. 90 acres of buffers were installed with this grant along with an additional 60 acres in the Brown County portion of the Plum Creek watershed prior to the completion of this plan.
This project will be a collaborative effort between district staff, central office, county staff, the Oneida Nation, UW-GB, and FVTC to determine an effective approach to assess water quality improvements within the watersheds that can be attributed to installation of conservation practices installed in the watershed. District staff is proposing to revisit the original 26 sites and replicate and expand upon data collection at these sites. An additional 25-35 sites will be identified following determination of BMP installation on the landscape to evaluate BMP influence on water quality conditions. Ideally smaller sub-watersheds will be identified and prioritized to focus monitoring efforts. [319 Project, SP12/WQ10] [HUC12]

Objective

The main objective of this project is to identify hard structural BMP’s that were installed under the Priority Watershed Plan or the GLRI grant and evaluate their influence on improving water quality conditions within the watersheds.

Outcome

In 2015, Eastern District Biologists plan to re-survey all original 26 sites within the D-A-A and evaluate their contemporary water quality condition as compared to original surveys conducted prior to the plan approved date of 1996.
In addition, a focused effort will be used to evaluate hard structural BMP’s that have been installed in the watershed under the Priority Watershed Project. The location and number of these sites have yet to be identified but Department Staff will work collaboratively with County staff to identify the most applicable sites. It is expected that up to an additional 25 survey stations will be located around the BMP focused survey areas in the D-A-A. The West Plum Creek sub-watershed received a significant portion of the GLRI funding within the Outagamie County portion of Plum Creek. 6 Survey areas have been identified to evaluate improvements to water quality conditions within the West Plum Creek sub-watershed. Continuous DO and Temperature will be collected at a sub-set of the original survey stations where significant DO issued were identified during the original data collection. Evaluation surveys will include fish, Macroinvertabrate, and habitat surveys to calculate and compare IBI scores between survey years. Water chemistry samples will be collected May-Oct, including TP and TSS, by the Lower Fox River TMDL Citizen Monitoring Grant project. Up to an additional 6 sites at significant sub watershed pour points located within the D-A-A and West Plum Creek will also be proposed to be collected by the volunteer from the LRF TMDL monitoring volunteers. 3 DNI samples will be collected at the HUC 12 pour Points.

Study Design

The targeted watershed approach study design will be used. In addition, a focused effort will be used to evaluate hard structural BMP’s that have been installed in the watershed under the Priority Watershed Project. The location and number of these sites have yet to be identified but Department Staff will work collaboratively with County staff to identify the most applicable sites. It is expected that up to an additional 25 survey stations will be located around the BMP focused survey areas in the D-A-A. The West Plum Creek sub-watershed received a significant portion of the GLRI funding within the Outagamie County portion of Plum Creek. 6 Survey areas have been identified to evaluate improvements to water quality conditions within the West Plum Creek sub-watershed. Continuous DO and Temperature will be collected at a sub-set of the original survey stations where significant DO issued were identified during the original data collection. Evaluation surveys will include fish, Macroinvertebrate, and habitat surveys to calculate and compare IBI scores between survey years. Water chemistry samples will be collected May-Oct, including TP and TSS, by the Lower Fox River TMDL Citizen Monitoring Grant project. Up to an additional 6 sites at significant sub watershed pour points located within the D-A-A and West Plum Creek will also be proposed to be collected by the volunteer from the LRF TMDL monitoring volunteers. 3 DNI samples will be collected at the HUC 12 pour Points.

The main objective of this project is to identify hard structural BMP’s that were installed under the Priority Watershed Plan or the GLRI grant and evaluate their influence on improving water quality conditions within the watersheds.